A holiday homecoming for soldier and 9-year-old daughter

By elassiter

Created 12/17/2013 - 8:10pm

Tuesday, December 17, 2013 - 8:10pm

BATON ROUGE, LA (NBC33) — It started as a normal day at St. Jean Vianney for Madison Davis, but little did she know, there was a big surprise waiting on her. NBC33 was in on the secret. Master Sergeant of the 205th Engineer Battalion, Dean Davis said, "I told her, I said baby I'm still in Kuwait. Daddy's still in Kuwait.So I probably won't make it home for Christmas. This should make her Christmas."

Master Sergeant Davis has been overseas for almost a year, but now he's hopping into this classroom closet to reunite with his only daughter. This reveal doesn't come without meaning.

"My little girl sent this to me. [It's] a little purple squinkie, and basically it's a pencil eraser. And she said daddy it looks like me, so keep it with you and it'll remind you of me. Usually in the inside of our hats we have earplugs we keep. Well, this was my earplug. If she sees it, she'll know i'm home."

Davis had a troop of his own behind him. Madison's mom, on "cookie patrol," and her third grade teacher helping carry out the mission.

"We had two dads that were deployed so we really wanted to do something to help them out," said Madison's teacher, Claudia Poche. "So they decided to write them letters.That's exactly what they did. Madison didn't know her penpal was right behind the classroom door.

"She's a fireball. everything I do in life revolves around her," said Davis.

So when madison finished sharing pictures showing her dad, and stuffed bunny, who took the trip to Kuwait too-- the last page wasn't quite
the end. She ran into her dad's arms, screaming "Daddy!"

It was just the beginning. "I prayed that you would be home," said Madison.

And with a red ribbon on a special box to match the red ribbon on a special daughter, A family is together for this holiday. "My heart was just jumping," said her mother, Courtney Davis. "It was if there's no words to describe it."

"I'm happy to be a soldier, but at the same time, i'm happy to be home," said Davis. "I missed you daddy," replied Madison. "I'm home for Christmas," added her father.